a plus extra
by acapricorn
Summary: In the final battle Sasuke is killed-or rather, he gives up. And in his anguish, Naruto realizes that a world that has caused his dearest friend, his brother in all but name...to crumble away like this...wasn't a world worth saving at all. So he abandons it all and, leaves.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: jaded

There should be some _triggers _for everyone, no matter who you were. That cause you to have a drastic change of perspective, or a change in personality.

For Sasuke, that had been learning about the truth of Itachi's life and the Uchiha Massacre…

And for him, it was the death of his dearest friend that became so disillusioned and-_tired-_of their world that he had all but committed suicide.

In a sense. It was still Naruto himself that dealt the blow that the raven-haired teen didn't bother to avoid or block.

Perhaps this was a metaphor for the fact that at the end of the day, Sasuke was dead because Naruto failed to save him.

It was as simple as that.

He left this world with a smile of...reassurance? relief? knowing that Naruto would still carry on as he had, in saving the world and leading everyone to a better future.

'_I trust you.' _his eyes seemed to say in those last moments.

The two of them never quite needed words to communicate with one another.

And maybe if it was the person he was before Sasuke's death impacted him...he could do it. He could brush off his personal pain and be the stronger person that everyone..._needed _him to be.

But that wasn't the actual case in reality.

Both him and Sasuke were...far more fragile than anyone could've anticipated. Including to themselves.

Or maybe it was the fault of those _triggers _he talked about. Events that changed and altered you forever.

Like how the teme was much more of a quitter and as for him-

He was much less of a hero.

* * *

It took a good while of wandering aimlessly in this new world when Naruto finally asked his lifelong companion a question.

"How come you're not mad that I abandoned the world that the Sage of Six Paths...well, _created?_"

The fox-Kyuubi, now miniature in size (and not to mention quite adorable) pranced on his chest as he himself lay amongst the wet and cold grass with the only source of light coming from the transluscent full moon.

The creature hovered slightly over his face and started to speak.

"My one act of..._kindness _for those human spawn was leaving them be peacefully for all those millenia." Kurama scoffed derisively.

"But then they just _had _to start capturing and caging all of us-with that Madara bastard starting the trend and my patience has, unsurprisingly-long since run out for the rest of your kind by now." he huffed, baring those cute and totally harmless canines in the process.

The prices that a great and mighty nine-tail fox demon must pay to...well, not be stuck in his boring stomach all the time. (although sometimes he has to go back in there since 'no pets allowed on flights' and all).

Absentmindedly, the blonde petted the head of his 'small' companion as his ears brushed and tickled against his palm.

"And besides-" he continued with a purr cutting midway through his words

"It's not like you left them helpless to fend for themselves-it's not as though _father _left them helpless as he granted those puny humans the gift of harnessing Chakra. Either way, the world can't keep continuing to count on extraordinary existences like the 'child of prophecy' to solve all their problems."

His hands scratching Kurama stopped when he heard that.

He sat up and looked down at the orange fox in his lap and then stared into the scarred palms of his hands that seemed to be endlessly lacerated without a single patch of smooth skin in sight.

"...you really think so Kurama?"

"You're stupid as ever aren't ya kid?" and that was the only response he would be getting it seemed.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, decision already made in his mind.

* * *

"Once, I did meet a..._potential _successor." All Might, as 'Toshinori Yagi' tells him one day after the battle with All for One.

"w-what?" Izuku stumbled as the information came too out of the blue.

They were sitting at the infirmary-or rather, Izuku was sitting. All Might was just laying down and resting. ('don't call me All Might. It's just Yagi now...after so long…')

But his teacher just continued in his storytelling.

"He was...hm, strong. I don't think I could've taught that boy. He didn't need my teaching-he was _that _strong. In fact, he didn't even want 'One for All' even after I tried explaining about its power."

"He told me; _I don't need it._"

Izuku remained silent and allowed Yagi-san to continue his tale but a part of him was immensely frustrated.

It was the kind of frustration he felt when he looked at Kaachan. Or Shouto. People that seemed to be truly-and somehow also _effortlessly _strong.

Of course, _of course _he knows it's not that easy. That everybody's fighting their own battles to improve but-

But every step he manages to take after pouring all his blood sweat and tears...is only one step of the thousand that it takes to merely _catch up _to them. And yet somehow they're still running the same race so _why are their places so different? _

So he's frustrated.

Frustrated that he still can't channel All for One's power that well despite the fact he's _trying _and he wants to, _needs to-_because Yagi-san's expecting him to carry on being the next symbol of peace.

But he's doubtful as whether he can actually accomplish that task in reality because…

He's still weak. He's still..._deku_.

"...so in the end, that boy, he didn't want my power and he sure as hell didn't want my teachings. But I continued to believe that he could be the one to carry on my legacy in becoming a symbol for peace against villains."

Izuku clenched his fist and didn't-no, _couldn't _look up to meet his teacher's eye; nor have the courage to see what kind of disappointed expression he must be making while saying all of this.

Because he knows; from this incident and many others that he's lacking, _incapable. _And an emotion of hot shame and at the same time envy courses through him.

"But until the end he didn't budge and I couldn't push him any further I realized and that was the end of it." the skeletal man sighed.

"...you know though, I'm glad he was so...abhorrent towards the idea of becoming a hero. If somehow, he had ended up becoming my successor I think I would've made a big mistake in judgement."

Izuku's head snapped up at that and the words 'what do you mean' were right at the tip of his tongue. But as if knowing what he wanted to say, Yagi-san answered just as accordingly.

"Because. Even though he was strong, he didn't have what it took to be a _hero._" the blonde man proclaimed, jabbing his finger right at the spot where Midoriya's heart was.

"But you! Midoriya have what it takes to be a hero ten times and over compared to him. So fear not! As long as your heart and mind are in the right place, the rest will follow suit in time. And of course, I will teach you with all that I can-with all that I have."

"This will be my last duty...as ALL MIGHT!"

His vision was blurring and Izuku knew that he was crying (yet again) but he couldn't help it as that had simply been way too amazingly cool.

(nevermind if Yagi-san went into a coughing fit immediately after thus alarming the nurses for the doctor to be called)

* * *

_So, he's your 'trigger' huh. _

-was what first came to mind when the man called Toshinori Yagi whom I met (was stalked by) a couple years back had begged me to protect his student named Midoriya Izuku.

The man was...memorable, as he was before. (and not to mention the sole reason for Naruto owning a dusty old hero license that could be found _somewhere _in his apartment if he was to look hard enough).

You see, he was recruited to be a 'hero' of this world.

But to no surprise, he said-

"-hell no."

Naruto blinked, and watched along with a still kneeling Yagi as Kurama daintily upturned his snout up into the air in a haughty gesture.

"Listen up." he pointed with a small paw at Yagi's gaunt-looking face (even more so than three years prior).

"Naruto's not obligated to do shit for you all. It was like that back then and nothing's changed now. So what makes you think that's going to change just because you come over all the way here and bow your head once?"

There was sound of Yagi clenching his teeth but whether that was in bitterness or to prevent throwing up blood could be up for question.

When the man's deep set eyes turned on him, he simply gave a nonchalant shrug. It's not like anything his partner said had been wrong.

Even after three years he's not keen to play hero. You tend to learn from your past mistakes after all.

For an existence like humans, it was best to live for oneself he realized. Less hassle, more happiness that way.

All this propaganda about self sacrifice for the greater good was what killed Itachi and then drove Sasuke to the brink of madness and back.

And it's what caused him to be exhausted and disillusioned.

"Please. I'm not asking you to be some hero-I just want you to protect Izuku. He's not ready yet and it's too dangerous right now with how many strong villains there are out there."

I sighed and I crouched down, eventually sitting cross legged in front of Yagi and then gestured for him to sit up comfortably as well.

"Here's the thing," I begin my explanation.

"From what you've told me-I'm sure he's a great kid. A heart of gold and everything-" _sounds like me when I was younger but cries a hell lot more-_was left unsaid.

"But since that's the case, what if a villain attack happens as he's with his friends? And as I'm only tasked with protecting _him _I'm not obligated to care about the welfare of his friends. They might die, but I won't _care._" Yagi winced at that.

"But Ibiki will."

"-it's Izuku."

"Right, Izuna will. So what will he do? He's gonna rush out and fight the villains of course! And then not only does my job of protecting him become a whole lot harder-but my option comes to no other choice but to fight _all _the villains and protect _all _the kids."

"Now, do you understand?" I ask after finishing my lengthy expression with a deep breath.

"This is a lose-lose situation. For me. So say, why should I accept your little 'request'?" Naruto drawled, with a seemingly bored and half-lidded expression but for an instant those pupils became feral-looking and not to mention red.

Yagi could feel cold sweat pouring down his back, especially with the knowledge that he was now powerless and therefore-completely defenceless if Naruto were to want and try something.

He wouldn't...probably, but sometimes the way he acts and the things he say were as unscrupulous as some of the villains he's met.

But he couldn't back out here just because of that. Or anything else.

Because his student depended on him. To allow him to grow stronger into a great hero. And he can't accomplish that if he dies prematurely at the hands of villains he no longer has any capability to fend off against.

"Please!" once again, he lowered his head to the boy that could pass off being in his early twenties at the most-but at the very least seemed to be in university.

There was a thick silence.

Then-

"Well, _fine._" came the resigned sigh.

There was the sound of Kurama groaning and face-palming.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: melancholy

_At the Heros Public Safety HQ. Tokyo, Japan. _

The meeting was opened up with the person sitting at the head of the table saying;

"So it's come to this." he sighs.

The atmosphere in the room was grim because of everyone being well aware of what the loss of 'the symbol of peace' meant. A resurgence of villains, unrest in the hearts of the public.

'_Hell, unrest in everybody's hearts, we've lost All Might for Christs sake!' _ The man thought to himself even as he, and everyone else within this room knew that the day would come eventually.

They were too optimistic.

They thought that they could find a replacement for All Might before he went into retirement.

They thought, they thought-but they didn't do jack shit to manifest that reality. But no longer. This time, they would step up. This time, they would _try. _

But first, they needed an immediate band-aid solution. Something quick, like the name derives-that would solve the problem temporarily.

Which led to their main topic of discussion.

"All Might and U.A have decided to employ the help of the 'hero' Naruto Uzumaki as means of protection."

At his announcement, there were some (albeit expected) outbursts while the rest of the council showed reaction via their darkened expressions.

If he thought that the room couldn't be any more sombre in its mood, this just proved him otherwise.

But it was understandable. Their actions were practically akin to that of joining hands with a greater evil to keep at bay the numerous lesser evils.

They were dealing with the devil and could only pray that the other keeps the terms of contract.

...which was another reason why they needed to hurry in grooming the next symbol of peace. Or else the man reckons he'll never be able to sleep soundly from here on out.

Till this day, he considers it one of the Public Hero Safety bureau's greatest failures, having provided that man a _Hero License _yet of all things.

* * *

"You really got him to agree?" Eraser-head asks him when they're driving to the next location for this parent-teacher meeting.

"...yes."

Aizawa sighed.

"...and do you really think that's such a good idea after all?"

This time, Yagi chose to remain silent.

The implications of that question hung in the air like a heavy pressure to everyone in the car.

* * *

There were not that many great things that Yagi could say about Naruto. In fact, there's not that many great things that _anybody _could say about Naruto...or so he reckons.

Thus it doesn't come to a great surprise (to him at least) that the 20-year old is late on his first day of job.

Aizawa was decidedly unamused but...it's also not like it was his problem whether the other showed up or not.

Right, it was _his. _

So Yagi fetches out his phone and proceeds to dial a number as the kids were starting to work on their 'ultimate moves' far off in the visible distance away.

There are three rings and then it gets picked up on fourth ring.

There's a grunt and then-

"_AAHH~ Uhnn a-ah! No~ Not there-I, NARUTO Mmmph-!" _

Lewd moans that were so loud they managed to escape through the receiver end. Eventually he had to hold the phone a few feet away from his actual ear to prevent the scenario of deafness.

-and speaking of which, the entire training ground had gone dead silent with everyone stopped track in what they were doing before.

Thus the sound of occasional moans coming from his phone was even more so prominently heard.

He wanted to bury his head into his hands.

His students were going to think weird things about him now if he didn't explain but...how was he supposed to explain this anyhow? Would it make him even more suspicious that way?

He's pretty sure everybody's heard..._that. _

Eventually the call cut off with Naruto growling (yes, quite literally _growling thank-you-very-much_) about how he'll be late as if Yagi himself wasn't able to tell already.

In the end, after the call hung up and he looked at the crowd of red-faced teens he gave in to the temptation and buried his face into his hands.

* * *

He wrapped things up with Emiko quite fast actually after Yagi's call came in. Apparently she was pretty turned on by the voyeurism aspect of having sex where his 'boss' could hear...if only she could know who his boss was...he thought with a smirk.

It didn't matter to him as much though; sex was sex and he wasn't too into all of those kinky stuffs. He just needed relief when he was horny. Which was quite a lot he found and thus, the long trail of sex friends or 'friends with benefits'.

Other than that, he didn't really give a shit about women.

Hm? Was that mean?

...well, who cares.

He yawned while digging a hand under his sweater because there was an itch there. Must be the material of the fabric but he wasn't looking at what he grabbed randomly when he dressed himself today. Cause he was like...super duper Kakashi-levels of late already.

He was also wearing some grey sweatpants but orange slippers since old habit die pretty hard it seemed.

Just like how his diet still consisted of 80% ramen. Some things change but some things don't he supposes.

And that's how Yagi found him swaggering into the training grounds with a disheveled appearance and sporting a yawn so large on his face that tears could be found at the corner of his eyes upon further inspection.

Least to say, it was a great first impression to make on class 1-A as their new 'student teacher'.

* * *

Aizawa Shota didn't change in three-years. Meaning he still reminded Naruto of Kakashi. Which was why he may be slightly _slightly _fond of the guy.

He let out a deep sigh and with an attitude clearly saying 'do i have to?' he called to gather all the kids around to introduce.

"Naruto, Class 1-A. Class 1-A, Naruto." he gestured between them.

The kids seemed to have varying degrees of puzzled expressions indicating that either Aizawa or Yagi forgot to explain to them. And going by the way Aizawa was clicking his tongue, the culprit must be Yagi.

"He's your new student teacher and not to mention the person All Might was on the phone with earlier. So stop looking at him like he's a perv now. The real perv is this one right here." he thumbed towards Naruto's direction.

"Hiya." he gave them a smile and a little finger wave.

There was a collective chorus of 'ohhhh's. Were kids these days so cute? Or was it just this dimension? Must be since he never recalls Sasuke and him being nearly as adorable.

But then again, they were quite literally at each other's throats since twelve and murder was more than legal in the 'hometown' they grew up in.

He's quite envious. Really.

"Alright!" he clapped his hands together.

"I'm not really gonna bother remembering all your names but-which one of you is Izumu?"

There was some collective murmuring until a small scrawny kid was pushed out by an aggressive looking blonde.

A pushover huh. Sounds pretty 'symbol of peace'-ish.

"He's talking about you idiot." the blonde grunts.

Ooh, not aggressive then. Just half cave-man.

"H-hello. I-it's Midoriya Izuku…" his voice trailed off at the end and he had a hard time looking into my eyes.

He was acting shy to the point that it made me wonder if he was getting bullied in his class. Imagine that; a bunch of play-heroes actually being some playground thugs. What a laughing-stock that would make huh?

"Nice to meet you Izumi." I smile and say, already genuinely having forgotten the generic name of this boring boy with the unoriginal super-power.

"A-actually it's-"

"Alright! Enough with that-now get back to working on your ultimate moves!"

* * *

Yagi dryly coughed.

"I didn't know you had a girlfriend."

Now I'm sure he's trying to come off as nonchalant but-no offence, he just sounded like he was terrible at small talk.

But it's cool, he kinda gets it. Who's gonna stop All Might on the streets to ask about the weather?

He hummed.

"She's not my girlfriend." he settles for eventually answering with the truth.

Girls were-

_Flashes of pink hair and crying eyes filled with blame. An apology at the tip of his tongue that won't budge enough to come out. Anger, unfairness, disappointment. _

He shrugged his shoulders, trying to shake away the images in his brain.

Naruto was probably just meant to lead on a bachelor's life just like Jiraiya. The apple really didn't fall far between Godfather and Godson all these years later.

There was an awkward-ish silence between Yagi and him before the other makes an excuse about heading down and helping the kids with their ultimate moves.

And it's another nostalgic thing; something like 'ultimate' or 'signature' moves. Like his rasengan. Or Sasuke's chidori.

...yeah, he remembers those days.

Not so painful now to think back on. If there was _bad _then there ought to have been the _good _as well.

He can at least recognize that much.

* * *

When Yagi-san's helping him with advice for his ultimate move, Izuku takes the opportunity to ask about the inkling suspicion that's been bothering on his mind.

"U-um! All-Might sensei...is Naruto-san...or _was _Naruto-san one of the candidates for 'the symbol of peace'?"

His question arises interest from the other students as well, he can tell. Maybe out of sheer curiosity...or maybe they could also tell that the man was really strong like he had.

But for once, the older blonde man is eerily silent.

"...yes. You're...spot on young Izuku." Yagi-san intones tersely, with none of his All-Might charisma.

"He was the strongest candidate for the 'symbol of peace' that we had." Aizawa sighs, taking over the responsibility of quenching the students' thirst for gossip upon seeing that Yagi was hesitant to say any more.

"_Was._ so what happened?" Iida, expectedly had caught on to that fact and asked while pushing up his glasses.

"He-"

"He failed to be suitable for handling the role, we decided. That's all." All Might explained, cutting off Aizawa-sensei.

The explanation made it seem as if he wasn't strong enough and failed which made most of the others lose interest in hearing more on the topic but-

But Izuku knew the truth among all of them.

'_All Might said something about his personality not being suited to become a hero…'_

He stewed on that piece of information, even more curious now as to what kind of a person Naruto-senpai really was.

* * *

**from acapricorn: **

**thank u so much for showing even the smallest interest in this story, and of course the reviews were great, I read all of them and I'm literally so excited to develop things further and hopefully I'll be back with another update...soon. **


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: class 1-A

Fate, he realized, had terrible taste in men.

No really. It was bad to the point that he wondered if she had some unresolved daddy issues.

Because first there was him; orphan street rat with a demon fox in his stomach and village pariah-

And then there was Izuke, a bullied talentless kid with nothing to his name other than a stutter.

The worst of the lot and yet Fate had the humour to decide 'hey! Let's make them the chosen ones' and baffling everybody, the ones in question.

But he didn't care that much about this world's version of the chosen brat. Felt pity, sure, since he would have a long road filled with utter bullshit. It was neither here or there though and certainly not his problem anymore.

The one he was a little more interested in was the blonde aggressive looking one from before. The one with the upturned eyes that seem to be challenging everyone and anyone to take away the throne that was-_rightfully_-his.

It was like seeing Sasuke. But only with his own brand of loudness (past-tense) and colouring.

"He's like, if you and him had a kid. That's what it would look like and act like." Kurama commented bluntly what he was _thinking, _sure-but he didn't have to go ahead and manifest that thought out into reality...

With a disturbed expression, he turned away from Bakugou.

"He's caught your eye huh? Katsuki's one of the most promising top students in our class." Aizawa's voice enters his ears from behind.

Even though he was a bodyguard, they still sent someone over to monitor said bodyguard...how hilarious. Why hire someone you couldn't trust-?

Actually, he knows _exactly _well why people would do such a thing; for the same reason that civilians hired ninja.

To cover their weakness and save their sorry asses.

"And let me guess? The other one's Izuku?" he tossed back a question, back leaning against the railing of the spectator stands.

The older man blinked.

"No. actually it's Todoroki Shouto over there. He's the son of Endeavour whom you've...been acquainted with before."

He whistled, when he turned over to see in the direction that Aizawa was pointing at.

"...you're telling me Endeavour's ugly mug is somehow responsible for half of pretty boy's genetic make-up over there? Has a paternity test been done?" he asked aloud sarcastically.

But it was in that moment when Shouto let out a huge mass of fire from his hands while turning to stare blankly straight into Naruto's crescent shaped eyes.

"...well, I guess that answers the question." he laughed carelessly.

But this made it difficult. Now there were two 'Sasuke' candidates in the equation. Hm. should be fun.

"Hey tell me, is the red one obsessed with something like...I don't know, _revenge _maybe?"

"...how did you know?"

_Really? Really._

"Just a lucky guess." he opts for humming.

_What a predictable place it was. _

* * *

"Oi, get up. The infirmary beds are for the students that get injured while training. Not for you to take a damn nap while skipping your work duties."

He blinked one eye open as the other half of his face was currently being covered by the snoring form of Kurama. His tail was going to make him sneeze he swears.

Carefully setting the miniature fox down on a pillow, he gets up, stretches and yawns. All the while taking his own sweet ass time to reply to Aizawa. So he was a bit lethargic after just waking up. Wasn't it like that with everybody?

"...you know I don't _actually _work here right? It's just a cover. A cover." he repeated twice, waving his hands off.

"Well you're cover's going to be blown if you don't do anything worthy of your 'assistant teacher' status."

"...sooooo, should I bring you coffee in the mornings from now on?"

"Not that kind of _assistant _kid!" Eraser-head smacked him over the head.

"I don't know how to teach" he settles for whining, hell bent on not _really _doing anything more troublesome than, well, _this. _

"You can learn by practice." came the other's hard reply.

"This is abuse in authority and I ain't no pushover." he settles for huffing and puffing.

"I didn't become as strong as I have just to be pushed over by anybody." he says in a more serious tone, to remind Aizawa who it is that he was necessarily talking to. And the _fact _that he could utterly wipe the floor with the other man if he so chose to. Just to see what his reaction would be, of course.

"As long as you step foot into UA and as long as you're under _my _supervision, what my words say, goes."

"-and by the way, while the purpose of your strength remains to protect yourself, we use it to protect others. That's the difference between you, me, and the kids out there. That's the difference between heroes and villains."

Naruto quirked his lips upward and hopped off the bed so that he was standing at his full height, albeit still slouched.

"So you calling me a villain?" he tossed out the insinuation, amusement laced in his tone.

"No, you're merely _selfish _is what I'm saying." Aizawa retorts, not backing off in the least. The man truly wasn't intimidated by him huh. Him; a 'criminal' and 'serial murderer' in the eyes of this world.

Well, setting aside the fact that all the guys he killed were shitty excuses for human beings either way-

"Okay. then let me ask you a question: why can't people just save themselves? Why not 'survival of the fittest'?"

The hero's usually nonchalant looking face was scrunched up into a deep scowl of annoyance.

"You shitty brat, this isn't the animal kingdom you know?!"

"Anyways, I expect you to be out on the fields giving the kids some tips, advice, doing _anything _to try and teach them a thing or two. Got it?"

And with that final remark, he turns and walks out, leaving Naruto in the empty infirmary with a still-napping fox.

'_Injured students my ass.' _he snorted. There was no one else here aside from him!

And also-

His question from before was still unanswered it seemed.

* * *

"So." he clapped his hands together saying while looking at the group of faces. Some that were...quite interesting looking, no doubt-but three years of living in this world had caused him to remain unfazed from looking at even the strangest of appearances.

"I've been tasked with teaching you all for the time duration but the problem is I have no idea what I should be teaching all of you" he laughs while scratching the back of his head in a sheepish manner.

There was a brief period of awkward silence, with students making eye contact with one another and sending their silent judgement-probably on his own incompetence as a teacher-

"...the _fuck? _You pulled all of us aside to talk bullshit? I'm going back to my training-" as Bakugou stood up to leave Naruto managed to shushin to where he was in a flash and using some force, pushed his head down to that he faltered and fell down on his ass once more.

"This is a discussion Bakugou." he sighed exasperatedly after flashing back to the place he was originally standing at.

"-and you do not just get up and _leave _in the middle of a discussion." cute brat, he should've noogied him back there.

They all looked at him wide eyed at the small display (really insignificantly small if he thinks on Kakashi's 'one thousand years of death!' during their genin teamwork exam.

Even now, as he's approaching 21 and in a whole 'nother world, on some days, there's still the lingering ghost of his sensei's fingers shoved up his ass-crack.

Anyways, in comparison to that and many other forms of trauma that Kakashi inflicted on him, Naruto was practically being _mild _with these kids.

There was another period of silence that lasted a bit longer until Endeavour's kid shot his hand up in the air.

"Right. You over there red." he gestured for him to speak freely.

"Can we fight you to test the progress of our ultimate moves?"

...he should ask that without the flames of challenge burning in his eyes. It's clear that you're just wanting a fight you shitty brat…

But, well-

Fine. bring it on.

* * *

While he was mindlessly fending off the incoming blows via dodging or shushin; (seriously, these kids really need to try facing off opponents that were stronger and _faster _than themselves for once-)

There were a few that he took special notice, or rather-_fascination _towards.

It was gravity girl, (seriously, how does it work? What would be the range of 'control'?) and then Momo-something something. Let's just call her Momo. Make things easier you know?

And he didn't know how her 'creation' quirk functioned either. Things just...popped and detached from her body! Like removable spores or something.

Lastly, there was the grape haired boy. His quirk though, unlike the other two girls didn't seem that useful. Although! It was still something new and mind the pun-'quirky' that he'd never encountered before.

The superpowers of the rest of the class just seemed like as if God had a brain-fart coming up with those.

That is to say-pretty unoriginal.

As expected, there were a handful of elementals, body-enhancement or manipulation such that the two categories could be solely divided into 'taijutsu group' or 'ninjutsu group' so to speak.

There was things like 'long distance', 'short distance', or 'mid-range'...but _eh. _Too much work just to categorise them. Besides, none of them had yet to land a single hit despite him using just shushin thus far. Thus they weren't worthy of that much acknowledgement from him at this point in time.

Eventually, half of the class was littered on the ground, worn out and unable to continue attacking and the other half remained breathless.

The whole battleground was turned to ice since Todoroki spread out his power to catch him at his next destination of teleportation-

But too bad for him; Naruto then appeared standing upside down from the ceiling.

Not to mention, he was always gone before the ice could stretch out its hands to grab at him.

At this point, everybody was out of the fight either by default; unable to continue-or, they had the sense to back out graciously.

All that was left are Todoroki, Bakugou and Midoriya.

Pretty within his expectations, yeah.

* * *

Damn it, _damn it. _Why was shitty-deku one of the last ones standing?!

Or so Bakugou thought to himself as he punched-_expectedly_\- air once more as that guy kept slipping and falling away as if it were as easy as breathing with his eyes closed to avoid their attacks. _Combined. _

And all the while he wore that _damn _annoying smile as though saying that they couldn't even come near to touching that invincible strength of his.

And yet.

Against this kind of opponent, he was struggling. Half-and-half was struggling. It was supposed to be a battleground with no place for the likes of _deku_ to be on it.

And _yet. _He, Bakugou Katsuki was fighting alongside deku and not anybody else.

'_Have you caught up already?' _he wanted to ask, but of course at the same time he didn't because-

That would mean acknowledging that the Deku who always used to follow behind him was now standing equal, _beside him. _

"-oi, oi. Is this really the time for ya to think about other things?" cerulean blue eyes entered his direct vision and then-

There was the sensation of flying across the air and the blackness that followed which he instinctively understood to be the back of his eyelids.

He had lost consciousness.

...and when he wakes up again, he would realize with a burning sense of anger and _humiliation _knowing that Deku lasted in the fight longer than him.

**from: acapricorn** **as expected some of your reviews kinda hurtful...but i better just ignore it and keep doing my best to improve as a writer! Besides, not everbody's gonna like the content of my stories. It's fine as long as I like my stories at the end of the day. **


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: The man called 'Naruto'.

When Sasuke died, Naruto didn't cry.

Kurama thinks that a part of the kit still couldn't believe what was going on right before his eyes. And until the very last breath the Uchiha brat took, his kit stared on blankly, dry eyed.

Being unceremoniously shoved into the kid's stomach from day one of his birth, Kurama's pretty confident in saying there wasn't a single soul alive-or-dead that understands Naruto as well as he does.

Just as Naruto moves himself and uses his power like an extension of his own body, Naruto too, was like an existence that was a part of the creature's own.

That's why Kurama would refer to Naruto as 'his kit'. Because by all means and intentions, he was his.

That being said, there were still some things about Naruto that would still elude the ancient demon fox. His relationship with Sasuke Uchiha being just one of the exceptional cases.

He too had brothers, sure-but for the most part they all didn't get along with one another and tended to stay out of each other's way lest they get into a..._disagreement _let's say.

And yet what he and his siblings had going on paled in comparison to the relationship-the _bond _that Sasuke and Naruto kept with each other over the years.

So when the metaphorical-moon-to-Naruto's-sun just up and died, unnecessary to say, his kit broke in a subtly obvious way that was almost indiscernible to the naked eye.

He didn't cry, but something within him began to undergo a change.

Or rather, it would be more accurate to say he didn't allow himself to mourn like everyone else had-

"_I-I can't cry Kurama. You know? I __**can't. **__Sasuke died because of ME. Where am I supposed to go feeling...remorse over my own mistakes? My own fuck ups? I-I can't do it." _

Human guilt was a curious thing. Tragic, but curious.

The guilt of surviving a massacre in the Uchiha's case and then the guilt of killing a friend with one's own hands in the case of Hatake. And now, Naruto as well it seemed.

These feelings weren't warranted, of course. The events that occured simply wasn't _their fault. _

But Naruto-gaki's consciousness (the useless thing) took it upon himself to feel but not openly express these negative emotions; and letting it build up.

He really _really _should've cried that time during Sasuke's death.

Kurama regrets not forcing those damned tears to come out at the time. Maybe then this entire mess could've somehow gone avoided.

Just as Sasuke himself had held onto his pain, loneliness, guilt, _sorrow-_and perished like that; Naruto was now holding onto similar items within his blockaded heart and it was changing his core.

Whether he's realized it himself or not, he's beginning to emulate that Uchiha brat more and more as the days pass on. The Hatake too, but at a lesser extent.

And just like that, day-by-day Kurama grows a sense of small crisis in his own heart as to how to bring his kit back from the darkness.

It didn't suit him after-all.

* * *

"Kid." Kurama's voice gruffed softly in his ear as Naruto fell out of a musing trance to realize the sudden weight that was on his own shoulder.

With a deal of effort, he tore away from staring at the portrait placed in front of him; the only item within this entirely spacious (read: empty) room.

"...you didn't sleep again." it wasn't a question. Rather, a statement.

He hummed pleasantly even as a melancholic air hung around him. Perhaps he himself couldn't even tell.

There were some types of sadness that you couldn't allow yourself to feel sad about and that just made it all the more sadder.

...after transferring to this world, for a lack of better things to do in his dallying free-time, he took up art classes.

Which he attended every day, religiously, 4-days in a week for 3 whole years without missing a single lesson.

He was no picasso. Hell, he wasn't even a _Sai. _

But he was at a level he regarded himself as being decent-

And not to mention, he could finally paint out the scenes that haunted him day and night...but also kept him a prisoner in its trance.

He stared into the drawn eyes of the sharingan with a million things left unsaid in the air between them; man and portrait.

* * *

"-is he still napping in the infirmary?! That damned shitty teacher! I want a rematch-" Bakugou went around stomping the grounds, a spot on mimicry of a roaring dinosaur. In fact, the two images could be overlapped with no difference to be seen.

Everyone, for the most part ignored the explosive ramaging of the blonde but it's true, Naruto-sensei hadn't appeared to teach them at _all _since the last beatdown-I mean lecture-where he proceeded to pound their heads on the importance of teamwork. (After he thoroughly abused-I mean _taught_-their bodies).

It was too bad that Bakugou was knocked out during the whole 'teamwork explaining' portion; or so everyone had unanimously agreed with a sigh. After-all, it was something that...he could use. Just a bit. A _tiny _bit, yeah.

The class of 1-A settled for staring at Aizawa because he seemed to be the only one that could move the university student into action.

...And speaking of which, what university _did _Naruto-san attend he wondered. (Izuku was entirely certain by now that he wasn't in a 'teaching major' like how they'd all been told).

"Hm?" Aizawa looked up upon feeling all of their stares.

They were all eager faced at the idea of measuring the progress of their ultimate moves against a guy like Naruto.

...and as for Bakugou he just wanted a fight or so he was pretty sure…

And even Todoroki's eyes were sparkling with that impressionable red bump on his forehead still from the last time he was finger flicked by Naruto…

Okay, so his eyes were actually sparkling a lot...

"Well, here's the first rule of _life _class 1-A. If you want something: go get it yourselves."

* * *

The twenty-so of them had barely stepped a single foot into the infirmary when a small fox-like creature on a wheel stool rolled over to them.

_Oi. Naruto's sleeping. Come back later. _

The creature...telepathically announced in their minds without opening its mouth even once. In fact, it was licking one of its forepaws.

Now let it be said that the thing's cute appearance and the voice of a middle aged man that he heard in his mind did _not _add up.

See?! The girls were turning into statues and crumbling away from the shock! Wait-the girls plus Koji it seemed!

And then unexpectedly, it was Kirishima who went and voiced out what they were all internally thinking.

"_What the hell!-" _

Right before their very eyes, the tail of the orange fox grew large in a flash and swatted the redhead through a solid wall.

_Be QUIET you heathens-! _

"Shit...you've woken him up" the thing spoke, seeming to be..._pouting? _

One of his fox ears twitched before its tail receded back to the original size and leaving Kirishima smashed into the wall. Turning on his rear and hopping off the nurse's stool gracefully, it trodded to one of the closed-curtained infirmary beds where a lethargic looking Naruto emerged from.

"Yo." he yawned, making it sound more like '_yo-aurgh'_

* * *

"-alright, so first thing's first! It's come to my notice that we need to lay some ground rules when it comes to..._me_" Naruto finishes unceremoniously, gesturing to all of himself.

"One: don't bother me when I'm sleeping in the infirmary room. Two: if you _do _end up waking me...be sure to have your wills written. Simple, right?"

He stops in his pacing to stare at the twenty-something of us that were lined up in a seiza kneeling position after being beaten to an inch of our lives.

The only one that looked even remotely okay in this scenario was Todoroki and Urakara would bet a million dollars (if she had that kind of amount-) that it had something to do with the other boy being raised in a traditional japanese household and so he was being used to sitting in this position.

Meanwhile, the rest of them were seated on what felt like pins and needles. And not to mention her leg had started to gone numb since a while ago due to lack of blood circulation…

Bakugou looks like he might dead faint away again…

It was that day they learned of how the Devil Wore Orange.

Needless to say, no one went to bother Naruto at the infirmary ever again. Improving their ultimate moves were one thing but dying before even getting to show off those ultimate moves to the world...would be too sad.

* * *

**from acapricorn:**

**i woke up in the middle of the night to write this. a little delirious, hope it makes sense. now i need sleep. **


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: His Smile.

"So you guys," Mina starts, leaning over the top of Izuku's seat on their bus to the provisional license examinations.

"What exactly do you think is Naruto-san's quirk?"

"-eh?" Uraraka exclaimed, startled.

"Isn't it just super speed?"

Everyone else who was eavesdropping on the conversation were also similarly nodding along.

"Yeah-but I heard from Momo-chan who heard from Kirishima who _then_ heard from Todoroki that he has a flame quirk." Mina announces quite proudly, her small antennas flicking back and forth from visible excitement.

"...there's no way right? I mean obviously he can't be that fast without some quirk relating to the speed of his movements-" Iida goes on to say, pushing up his glasses.

"Mou~ you calling me a liar Mr. Class President?" Mina goes on to say while pouting, making the former flustered.

"-ah!" Izuku snaps his fingers together.

"What if he has a dual quirk like Todoroki?"

"...that's not how dual-quirks work though?" the source of all this rumour talk interrupts, making everybody turn back and stare at him.

"My Half-cold-Half-hot is divided in between the left and right sides of my body respectively. So there's that limitation...and not to mention, their 'natures' are quite similar, functioning on either bringing up or bringing down the temperature...or something like that. But Naruto-san's incredible speed has-quite frankly, nothing to do with the fire I saw him produce when he was battling my father, Endeavour."

There was a silence as everybody was undoubtedly curious about their mysterious student teacher but nobody had the answers figured out (clearly).

But only Izuku seemed to be thinking along other lines-

'_No way...does Naruto-san have a connection to All-for-One?!' _

Of course, his way of thinking was understandable...but nevertheless completely off the mark.

* * *

Naruto let out a sneeze as he was in the middle of enjoying breakfast while admiring the view that his high rise apartment building provided.

It was the kind of lap of luxury that, had Uraraka seen it, would faint while muttering 'snazzy living'.

But despite the overall nice layout of the place, it was barely furnished, with only a couch, a futon for sleeping and a table for dining and such.

Despite his economic condition being-quite frankly, _great-_as expected, being an orphan he couldn't get used to owning a whole lot of stuff.

But he did buy Kurama deliveries of fresh sashimi everyday without fail. So that would probably be his greatest expense at the moment...aside from the expensive canvases and painting materials he orders from Italy.

Last night he had taken a whole bottles' worth of sleeping pills to help him get rested for the next day where he was supposed to meet the kids plus Aizawa at their examination centre.

Of course, that amount would've been considered suicidal to any regular person (quirks notwithstanding) but it was really the bare minimum that Naruto needed to consume if he wanted to have a peaceful night.

Seeing Naruto blank out again, he called him to snap him out of it, lest they end up late to the exam and-

"...Naruto. What do you think about returning back to the Elemental Nations?"

The blonde stared at him peculiarly but then smiled. And not in that dazzling way but it reminded one of a dull and rustic knife.

"Kurama, there's nothing I want to go back to with regarding that place"

And that was the end of their conversation.

* * *

"You're late." Aizawa deadpans, unamused as Naruto joins him in sitting at the viewers stands.

It's another stadium-like set up huh? These heroes...were more theatrical it seemed. Everything was more or less a show, or a narrative was what he got the impression of.

Nevertheless back to the matter at hand-

"Haha, sorry Eraser-head. I got super lost on the way here. Like you wouldn't _believe _the traffic." Naruto exaggerates.

There was a tick mark forming on Eraser-head's...well, head.

"You either got lost or there was traffic. It's either one or the other-and make your lies more believable next time."

"_Hai~_" he mock salutes with a fox-like grin.

Whether it was now or before, Naruto always had that ability to smile like nothing was wrong in the face of others watching. Well, it was more of his way of not giving into those that hated him though, or so Kurama thought.

"Babe, are you gonna introduce us or not~?" the smile hero, Emi Fukukado asked while clinging on obnoxiously to Aizawa.

Naruto blinked while making eye contact with the woman.

"...you had a-"

"_No._" Aizawa said through his gritted teeth.

"But-"

"She's _not _my girlfriend okay?"

"Ahahaha! Of course not! I'm his wife buahahaha!"

Aizawa buried his head in his palms with a guttural sounding groan.

* * *

"Yo Aizawa, your new little _kouhai _is like, a bit weird." Emi comments off handedly when Naruto was gone and probably ditched his 'teacher' duties by now.

Aizawa stares at her to tell her to keep going.

"-like, so I used my quirk on him right? But totally no effect!" She said, uncharacteristically without a smile or a laugh.

"Now I know for a fact that he doesn't have an erasure quirk like you do-don't worry babe, you're _one-of-a-kind,_"

"And there's only like, one other time when I used my quirk and the other party couldn't smile."

"_Couldn't _smile?" Aizawa intones, as expectedly picking up that little detail.

"Yeah, _couldn't. _They were a war veteran with PTSD."

* * *

There's an odd atmosphere surrounding Eraser-head and Joker-girl? Funny-hero? (shit, what was her name again?) when Naruto came back.

"...as expected you guys are-"

"If the next words that come out of your mouth are 'dating' I'll hit you."

He pouted.

"Child abuse~" Naruto complained.

"No sorry, animal abuse" Aizawa corrected heartlessly. And here Naruto thought that heroes needed that stuff to...be heroic.

He can kinda see why Aizawa was being taken off the roster and teaching instead…

"-you just thought something rude about me didn't you?" Aizawa asks without missing a beat.

But then again being a teacher...en, that wasn't necessarily good either.

Eraser-head sighed and didn't bother to berate Naruto on his appearance after their little banter going on. There was really no point.

"So where were you exactly?" instead, Aizawa settles for questioning.

"Hm~ taking a shit. Sorry it took long" he settles for his excuse while a face of a blonde girl with a killer rack appeared in his mind. And so he recalled his purpose for coming back to this exam. (undoubtedly, Aizawa was right on the mark, Naruto was fully prepared to ditch).

Until he encountered an unconscious girl. One he thought he saw already taking the exam in the exam room so he came back to check.

'-yep, there's no mistaking it.' he thought while letting out an annoyed sigh.

He would never forget the face of a pretty girl afterall! (she scored an 8.8 in his books.)

Ah! But don't be mistaken. He has a strict no-no rule about laying his hand on minors.

After he dropped the other girl to a nearby hospital (specifically in the arms of a frail and frazzled looking nurse) he returned to weed out the imposter.

Or at least stop his/her plan for...whatever they were trying to do.

He propped his chin up with his palm as his eyes shone with focus even as his posture indicated laxness. He debated as to whether to enhance his hearing or not to eavesdrop on what Izuku and the 'girl' were talking about in between throwing attacks but decided against it considering how loud the environment was and the surrounding background noises were sure to give him a headache.

And besides, he probably got all that he needed to know from that crazy (-and dare he say 'psychotic') glint in her eyes as she marked Izuku as a target over and over again. (jeez, subtlety was lost on this idiot huh.)

An enemy sneaking into the exams posing as a participant...at this point, the similarities that were found could almost be described as a feeling of deja-vu. Like a blast to the good ol' past or something.

He dusts off and gets up from the stands and under Aizawa's silent questioning brow raise, he begins to act.

If this was a re-simulation of the chunin exams then he better not be cocky and let someone get hurt under his watch by making his move too late.

He stretched out his hand and it took him a split second of deliberation as to what long range attack to use. Let it be said and known that Naruto was usually (an understatement) an 'all up in your face' kinda guy.

But eventually he settled for a 'Suiton: water dragon jutsu' and in a flash the creature was travelling distances through the air and had the 'intruder' pinned up against the side of a building; trapped between its claws with not even room to breathe he would bet.

The area was finally somewhat quiet and he could finally hear himself think.

"-so there's been an imposter in this exam." he drops the bomb casually.

* * *

**from acapricorn: **

**re-uploaded bc I fucked up with something**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six: It's you?

A dozen or so of the exam proctors rush out from the same time as he hauls his body over the ledge and strolls over towards his prey.

At first the intruder was still insistent on keeping up his disguise and kept his head down so Naruto couldn't see his expression until he reached approximately five feet of that person.

Then all of a sudden, they lifted their head up and flashed a cheshire grin that was a little too wide with a little too many visible teeth to be considered friendly.

That was when the disguise started to wear off.

His brain itched when he saw the intruder's real face but he didn't care to know why. The others that rushed towards here were all awaiting his orders it seemed and had yet to make a move to arrest the girl in front of them.

Maybe she was a villain they recognized, maybe she wasn't. Either way, he knew that she was a murderer for sure (and a crazy one at that) from the look in her eyes.

He sighed and put his hand up to signal the people behind him to move. The girl was hardly a threat anymore even if she was currently giggling like a madwoman.

This was why crazy people were so troublesome.

"-you don't recognize me?" it took a second for him to realize that she was talking to himself.

He tilted his head, the deja-vu feeling going stronger than ever.

So he went ahead to ask politely;

"Sorry, do I know you from somewhere?"

More giggling.

"I'm that kid from the riverbank. Do you remember _now_?"

Riverbank...riverbank-what riverbank was she talking about…-ah! Could she be-?

"It seems like you remember now...I'm so glad you didn't forget me senpai!" she said ecstatically even as someone was roughly shoving her into a pair of handcuffs.

Naruto scratched his head awkwardly and muttered.

"Who's your senpai...seriously…"

This brat was still in middle school or something by the time he was at that age to graduate high school. (of course, in reality he never did graduate from any high school for that matter and all his educational documents were fake).

"-that's not true! You're my inspiration for living 'this kind of' life. You're like, hm~ what'dya call it...my _hero! _Or something like that?" she tilts her head, pretty enough to look like a doll when she does it but just wipe that twisted expression off your face.

Seriously...he can't believe that he made a cute kid go down the dark path of being a criminal…

If that being the case then isn't he just a bad influence on kids?

* * *

Back in those days Naruto was more..._uncontrollable _for the lack of better description. But of course, Kurama would beg to differ being a thousand year old demon fox.

After all, killing was a part of ninja life. It was also a part of nature itself believe it or not.

That was not to say you should kill people on a whim just because you _could _or else that would just put him in the realms of serial killers.

But if a person came for him, why wasn't he allowed to off them as a form of self defense?

Well, that was his thinking from some years back after he first arrived 'here'.

And similarly, that was the image of himself that the girl introduced as 'Himiko' witnessed on their first meeting by the riverbank with the corpses of Yakuza tainting the waters into a bloody red.

"How are you able to live like that?" the girl asks when the two of them are sitting on a grassy slope with juice boxes in their respective hands and admiring the sunset horizon.

Or at least Naruto was admiring the view so he didn't notice the fact that all the girl's attention was focused intensely onto him.

"What are you talking about? You just live." he responds absent-mindedly, not really understanding her question.

"...but you kill people. So you're a murderer."

He hums.

"So I am..?" he's never really thought about it. Considering how the authorities can't catch him no matter how they tried he doesn't quite _feel _like a criminal or someone that society has outcasted.

"You live...like-like you're gonna do whatever you want, whenever you want."

What a weird girl. Aren't you technically _supposed _to live like that? And he tells her appropriately as such.

"Look, kid. I didn't mean for you to see that scene at the riverbank...but seeing as you haven't run for the hills yet and you're actually sitting here conducting an interview with me...well, you're not really 'normal' either is what I'm trying to get at."

"But I'll give you a piece of advice as...your senpai in life. As a thanks for the juicebox. I was pretty thirsty you see." And then he proceeds to get up and throw the empty juicebox into the river.

Model citizen he was decidedly _not. _Actually though, he wasn't quite a citizen _at all. _

"-you can live however you want. But you just gotta take responsibility for your life and the decisions you make while you're alive."

"For example, I can kill people as long as I decide I'm not gonna feel guilty for doing so. And also, if the authorities manage to catch me any day from now-"

'_Fat chance' _he wants to snort.

"-then when I'm sitting in jail, I can't go around bitching and blaming anybody else for where I ended up at. 'Cause there's consequences to everything and all that kid."

"I think I get it...somewhat." she beamed up at him but he had to squint because the sunlight was blocking him from really seeing the upper half of her face.

He just saw the movement of her lips and the sound of her voice.

"Thanks senpai!"

-And unbeknownst to himself at the time, the seeds of an obsession were planted within the girl.

* * *

So back to the present he was staring at the girl in front of him with a complicated gaze.

Did he really say all that? Well, hm. None of what he said was technically _wrong _except for the result where she had interpreted his words however she wanted and he ended up inadvertently creating a serial killer from the looks of it.

They were sitting in an interrogation room and Himiko was kicking her legs back and forth while humming. She didn't seem to care all that much whether if she was going to prison after this or not.

All that mattered to her was that he was in front of her in the flesh, here and now.

He had heard her confession of course, from behind the glass tinted window of how she'd joined the League of Villains because she'd admired Killer Stain but more importantly, she had wanted to use their collective network to find her 'senpai'.

Him being the senpai she talked about.

Then before his very eyes she started shaking.

"Oh no…" she starts, mournfully.

"What to do...I just wanted to find you before...but now that I'm sitting in front of you like this I wanna be with you more and _more-_"

This, was disturbing he decided. Let's not ever accept food from strangers again he vowed silently.

"_Um~ _But I guess this was the _con-se-quences _that senpai talked about...so it can't be helped." she huffed, cheeks swelling like a chipmunks.

Naruto sighed. It would seem like he needed to have a talk with Principal Nezu. Yagi too...maybe.

* * *

The moment she stepped into the class of 1-A on Monday morning, everyone jumped out of their seats and went into battle mode.

As if not noticing this, she turned and stared at all of them with their activated quirks and beamed.

Izuku felt cold sweat roll down his back despite the classroom's air conditioning.

It was Aizawa that spoke up to calm the whole situation.

"This is Himiko Toga. Your new classmate."

"Please~ take care of me~"

* * *

**from acapricorn: **

**I realize I always upload at night**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: you're my hero!

A fun fact about Naruto was that he literally could not get drunk. And it had something to do with his body physiology (or so Kurama explained one time but he forgot immediately) but he found it to be quite unfair.

Especially since he wants to be Tsunade-levels of passed out drunk at the moment.

'_Why did I do that?' _He asks himself, sitting cross legged on the floor.

It was what he referred to as his 'thinking' position that he always sat in whenever he encountered a difficult homework problem from way back in the Academy days of his childhood. And then the habit just carried on throughout the rest of his life.

Naruto completely didn't _need _to step in for Himiko.

They had met briefly. _Once _he might add. And their entire encounter combined at the time couldn't have lasted more than a mere hour.

So why did he just have to go out of his way to be in somebody else's debt just to...what? Save her?

'_The girl didn't even ask for your help jackass' _Naruto thinks to himself sardonically.

And yet he decided all on his own that he would pull her out of the League of Villains and put her in school and sign that dotted line which said 'legal guardian'.

But it was probably just that-

"_You're my hero" _

He didn't learn his lesson as well as he thought he did. Even though he knows what being a 'hero' means. Even though he's gone through the hurt of being used, then taken advantage of-

"_-but you're a hero!" angry screams blaming him. _

It just wasn't quite enough simulation for his idiot self to stop for good at that.

Accepting Yagi's offer had been a mistake.

He thought he had changed and he thought he had let go of...many things but they were all flooding back to him like a bad dream.

And all it took to break his 'great' determination that he held up for going-on three years now was the utterance of one little girl saying that he was her hero.

-but another thing; it would've been fine if it was just an innocent little girl. That would be acceptable. But a teenage, nationally-wanted serial killer? A little not okay.

Then again, it was the same thing with Sasuke too wasn't it? Everybody told him to forget about saving him, that he was too far gone...at one point even Sakura had resolved herselt to kill him by her own hands.

It was only Naruto who believed that he could make him better and so he chased and chased without even stopping to think or even _breathe. _

He was so naive back then.

He thought that anybody could overcome their inner demons if they tried hard enough. Naruto himself was the prime example of someone who overcame their literal 'inner demon' and survived.

But he had this great desire to save anybody that...used to resemble himself. Orphaned street rats, people that everyone said was 'beyond saving' or looked away with a 'don't bother'.

He just wanted to extend a helping hand to those people. It was just that he failed to take one thing into consideration;

How was saving people easy in this rotten world of theirs infested by darkness?

He feels weak. He feels demoralized, he feels…

It was like after running and running so vigorously after a vague goal it was like when he stopped for once and took a look around, he found himself-

Lost.

* * *

Today was the day that Himiko was supposed to move into the dormitories and a gloomy atmosphere surrounded the class of 1-A as they sat together in the common area.

But, well, rather than gloomy it was part awkward with no-one knowing what to say due to the strange turn of events.

A villain reforming to become a hero? There was no such case in the history of hero vigilantism.

In most jobs, you would be turned away at the interview if it was found out in a background search that you had once been a criminal. Heroes were no different.

They were several times worse. Your ability to sympathize with victims would be questioned, and then your loyalty. In other words, the odds were stacked up against you sky high.

'You' being Himiko in this scenario of course.

Deku looked nervously at Kaachan that was sitting some ways away and hasn't so much as flinched at the announcement that Himiko would be joining the class.

Izuku had an inkling that he was told the news even before she had officially been introduced in the classroom. And thus, his calmness to the whole situation.

In fact, Bakugou was eerily calm. In a way that wasn't like his usual self to say the least.

It was quite worrying if Izuku was being honest.

He couldn't tell what the other was thinking.

And for that matter, he couldn't tell what _Naruto-sensei _was thinking either, orchestrating this whole ordeal.

Himiko wouldn't _really _become a hero...right?

* * *

That stupidly cute looking bear principal was sucking him dry of the little 'favour' that Naruto owed him.

On top of the fact that he just really sucked ass at negotiating, he fell (just a little) at the face of princeipal Nezu's cute form.

-he was taken advantage of god dammit!

He sits on one of the many benches littered across the school's premises with his hands laced together and supporting his head.

There was an almost empty can of vending machine coffee to his feet.

"_Naruto senpai~" _great. His headache just got worse. Don't snicker Kurama.

He could technically shushin away to avoid dealing with this whole lot of crazy coming his way but then he knew for a _fact _that Himiko would skip class and spend her whole day trying to find him.

The girl only took classes if he was in the same classroom after all.

So with a face as though he was prepared to be run over by a bulldozer he turned around and met Himiko's curious, round, smiling eyes.

"What were you thinking about?"

"Huh?" he retorted dumbly.

"You were muttering all alone." Toga says in explanation with plopping down beside him on the bench.

Kurama let out a yelp with his fur standing on end at having been pushed aside unceremoniously.

...great, he was just making better and better impressions with this girl wasn't he?

"Just...dwelling on some past mistakes" he was putting it quite lightly.

But then again, he didn't know why he was even bothering to come out with a watered down version of the truth. It's not as if Naruto owed it to the girl to share about his life.

So the almost-confession caught himself as an off-guard.

He opened his mouth, shut it- and then opened it once more.

"_Eh~ _you doing a fish impression or like what?" Himiko tilted her head with an easy smile.

He sighed.

"...let's say you make a mistake. And then you vowed to never repeat that mistake ever again after learning your lesson. But then some years later, you find yourself having gone ahead and repeated the same mistake. What do you think you're doing wrong here?"

"You asking me?"

"...it's just a figure of speech Toga. Like a simulation scenario."

There was a beat of silence. Himiko swung her legs back and forth as if she was seriously formulating a reply to the question he posed.

"-well here's tha thing;" she starts off.

"Everyone says that two wrongs don't make a right...but what if it was never a wrong _in the first place?_"

"-fer example: I always told myself I would never use my quirk, never drink blood blah blah blah. But funny enough I just couldn't help but repeat those actions that I'd deemed to be 'mistakes'. It was like I was genetically programmed for it...or something!"

and que Himiko laughing at her own jokes.

"So in the end you could be either one of two things: really stupid for repeating old mistakes- or maybe your gut is telling you that this _is _in fact, the right decision and that's why you're being led down this path."

"But you know- just because something's the right choice, doesn't mean it still won't hurt. So try not to think so much and try trusting in your gut senpai."

At that, Naruto let out a weak laugh. Never in a million years did he think he would be lectured advice from someone younger.

But Toga's words also left him in a dilemma where he was sitting at the cusp of a ledge and had to make a decision.

* * *

**from acapricorn: **

**man, just like Naruto I hope nothing haunts y'all too long. I know it's fanfiction and shit ain't deep but my feels are triggered tonight idk**


End file.
